


The Beginning

by fangirlfortheages



Category: bare: A Pop Opera - Hartmere/Intrabartolo
Genre: M/M, Pre-Canon, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-09-17 22:09:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16982697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirlfortheages/pseuds/fangirlfortheages
Summary: Where it began: September, senior year





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first ever fic. I love bare so much so I wrote the set-up for everything leading to Bare. Please leave feedback, I'd love to improve my writing!

St. Cecilia’s imposing stone dorms towered above the grassy countryside. They stared daggers at the students below, grumpy that their summer long absence was coming to a close. But although their mandatory Catholic education was about to begin, there was, undeniably, excitement in the air; even stubborn teen angst cannot not withstand heartfelt reunions with dear friends.

A small ruby-red Cadillac crunched the gravel as it pulled up the circular driveway.

“Peter,” a mother named Claire Simmonds said as she pulled up to the curb, “do you want me to help you with your stuff?”.

“No that’s fine Mom, I got it.” said Peter Simmonds, a baby-faced senior, as he looked out onto the scattering of students and parents in the courtyard. He could feel his hands start to sweat already. It must be a positive sort of anxiety, he told himself. You’ve missed the company of people your own age.

“Well let me just pull it out of the trunk for you.” Claire responded with classic, snappy maternal caution. Ms. Simmonds was never one for hands-off parenting; even her child’s boarding school was only an hour or so from their house. Suddenly her phone rang. “Oh shoot. I have to take this. Don’t you dare leave without saying goodbye. Hello?...”

Peter opened the door and adjusted his button down shirt and tie. He looked up at St. Cecelia’s familiar stone monoliths, and took a moment to ponder his senior year. This was his last first day, something he would never have again. The moment did not last long, however, because a familiar, piercing voice seized his attention.

“Peter!”  
“Ivy!” a dark-haired girl jogged up to Peter.  
“I missed you mama’s boy!” she said, loping him into a big bear hug, her voice muffled by his cotton shirt. He had missed her too. Although he’d known her for most of his life, they’d become much closer the previous year. At Matt’s birthday party last fall, they had commiserated in the hell of divorce while gorging on stolen Halloween candy. Peter treasured that memory, their mouths wide open from a violent round of laughter, desperately trying to catch their breath, Kit-Kat and Skittles wrappers crunching under their criss-crossed legs.  
“I missed you too.” He released her. “How was your break?” She stood confidently in front of him, one hand on a popped hip, clad in her school uniform of a plaid skirt and white blouse. Her smile emanated a dual energy, enthusiastic and composed at once. A genuine smile paired with disinterested posture. Peter loved talking to Ivy. In her, he saw the epitome of grace and charm, of poise and confidence. She knew herself; a librarian who had read every book in her own library. Peter envied that knowledge, but he was not intimidated by her. On the contrary, she made him feel appreciated. Their conversations always flowed because Ivy kept her thumb on the balance, ensuring that he was at ease so he’d remember each interaction with fondness.

“Oh, it was fantastic. I took New York by storm.”

She giggled. “Yes, the mayor himself met me at at JFK with a key to the city. Bow before me, commoner.”

Peter was about to offer his next clever line, but someone called Ivy’s name, so she turned to enthusiastically greet another student. Cut short and briefly disheartened, he moved to grab his stuff from the trunk. She smiled and waved at another passing senior before following him to the rear of the car. He leaned over the back for his suitcase.

“So…” she said, her voice sliding upward in pitch, “who are you rooming with?” She leaned against the popped hood of the trunk, and it crashed into Peter’s head.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry, I didn’t expect it to do be so loose!” She reached out and tried touch the injury, but Peter quickly scooted away and rubbed it with his own hand.

“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt too bad.” he reassured her.  
“Jesus, I’m sorry.” she said, laughing slightly to relax the tension.  
“Really it’s fine… Uh, anyway, I’m rooming with Jason.”  
“That’s funny. I guess we each get a McConnell.”  
“You’re with Nadia again?”  
“Yes indeed. So expect to find a body sometime before Christmas.”  
Peter chuckled. ”She’d better watch out. For real? I think you could get away with murder.”

“Hmmm…If you think so, maybe I should give it a try.”  
“You think I might find Jared’s bones in your closet?” Jared was her ex-boyfriend. Ivy playfully slapped him with the back of her hand.

“God, Peter! That was a low blow.” He smiled at his own witty remark.

Claire appeared from around the car. “Hello Ivy! It’s nice to see you.”

“You too, Ms. Simmonds”

Peter briefly hugged Claire. “I love you, Mom”  
“Goodbye Peter. I’ll see you soon!”

Peter turned with his bags and walked with Ivy through the stone archway. He turned one last time and waved at his mother. She blew a kiss through the passenger window then drove off.

“C’mon” urged Ivy, who was growing impatient, “I want to see everyone else!” She grabbed his hand, and they headed for the main hall.


	2. Chapter 2

Ivy accelerated up the stone steps. Each edge was jagged and firm, as though the saints themselves had laid down the bricks. Peter’s fairly heavy wheeled bag twisted and turned, straining his wrist as it jostled. The dusty corridors leading to the main sanctuary were lined with wood paneled lockers, each decorated with a engraved cross of the same wood stain. The students often asked why the school building had lockers when their dorms were on campus - why not just remove them? But the administration never responded.

The cafeteria looked exactly the same, its laminate tables and benches contrasting with grand wooden walls, and framed in the center were Peter’s friends, only three of them.

“Guess who I found!” shouted Ivy, triumphant, raising Peter’s hand and shaking him as a prize. She strut across the floor with Peter in tow like a heavy weight champion with his secured golden belt.

“Peter!” shouted Tanya, who immediately rushed in for a hug.

“My man!” exclaimed Lucas, the chains looped on his baggy pants clinking as he reached in for the manly pat-on-the-back/handshake.

“Peterrrrrrrrrrah!” shrieked Nadia, rolling her R’s. She wore heavy eyeshadow and dark, perfectly done lipstick, which accentuated the pink highlights in her short, dark hair. She stood more slowly and less gracefully than the rest of her friends, for her center of gravity took a little longer to stabilize.

“Hey guys!” exclaimed Peter, hugging everyone. “Where’s Matt and Jason?”

“Well Matt’s off being a goody-goody or, as I like to think, kissing Father Bertram’s ass,” Tanya replied, “And..”

“Jason’s unpacking.” interrupted Nadia. “Guess he couldn’t bear to be in the same room with me after that long ass car ride.”

“Probably ‘cause he was getting squished by your fat ass” Ivy calmly interjected.  
“Not here an hour and already starting the abuses? This year is gonna be fun.”  
“Take it easy ladies,” said Lucas “We’ve only been here an hour. Now, why don’t we get down to business?” Lucas perched on the shiny tabletop. He played the “gangsta” rapper with unearned confidence. “What do we do for our annual, and last, beginning of the year troublemaking?”

Peter swallowed his fear. He loved his friends but their persistent habit of tempting expulsion never ceased to make him anxious. Yet even so, their plans were strangely intoxicating, a mysterious high within himself which he dare not probe.

“What if we just get shit faced out of our minds?” suggested Tanya. “It’s simple and a guaranteed hit.”

“I’m down.” voted Ivy. “Peter, you with me?” Before Peter could answer, Ivy interjected again. “And why’s your tie so tight? Aren’t you choking to death?” she reached over and fiddled with Peter’s starch polyester tie.

“For your information…,” he took a moment to conjure a comeback, “I’m not…asphyxiating right now.” Peter cringed. Asphyxiating?

“Well loosen up, or you’ll have a stroke.”

Lucas tried to refocus the conversation. “I’m still waiting for ideas. You guys are the most uncreative people I’ve ever met.”

“We could go skinny dipping.” said Ivy.  
“Why am I not surprised?” Nadia moaned.  
“That’s perfect. Fun and family friendly.” Lucas jumped off the table and began pacing in thought. Tanya raised her hand. “Yes? The little lady in the front.”

“We could go to the town pool after dark. Like in a horror movie.”  
“Alright I’m sold.” replied Lucas scooting up next to Tanya, not subtly eyeing her up and down, “Water day will be Friday. Get ready kids; we’re going out like rockstars this year.”


	3. Chapter 3

Peter rolled his bag down the carpeted hallway, scanning the doors for room number 137. He felt the brass door key heavily in his pocket and tried to remember his new roommate, Jason, methodically listing each of his qualities in his head. He was Nadia’s brother, handsome, charismatic; they hung out with the same people but never just with each other. Jason hung out with the whole school it seemed like. Peter, on the other hand, even within their small class, had yet to converse with everyone; he doubted most knew his name. Don’t think about it so much.

Peter pulled the bag upright next to him, took a deep breath in his nose and out his mouth, then knocked on the door a steady three times. A pause. No response. Once more he attempted. A small, panicked flame flickered in his chest.

“Peter!” called a voice from down the hall. He jerked to the sound. Jason McConnell, with towel in hand and shiny with sweat, loped toward him. “Hey man, it’s good to see you!” He extended a hand to shake. They locked eyes.

“It’s good to see you too.” Peter smiled meekly. “Guess we’re gonna be living together now.” He gestured toward the closed door. Then, his not-so-graceful hand slapped down at his side, hitting his thigh audibly. He winced at his own clumsiness.

“Yeah, man. Uh...you don’t have a key?” Jason asked.  
“N…no. I just thought you were inside.”  
“Oh well I went for a run. Need to keep in shape for basketball. Didn’t have a chance to this morning.”  
“Right. Because you were leaving.”

Peter gave a brief, tense smile then glanced at the floor. Unsure of who should open the door, both reached for their keys. Seeing Jason do the same, Peter clandestinely retracted his hand from his own pocket.

The key clicked in the lock. The smell of bleach invaded Peter’s nose. The door made a shushing sound as it glided over the generic industrial grade blue carpet. The room was of modest size, with two beds parallel against either wall, a dresser between them and two small desks next to the closet door. An oddly small window was slightly skewed to the left and above it, a wooden cross - spaced symmetrically. One bed was made with a deep blue comforter.

“Well, home sweet home,” Jason remarked, setting his towel on the made bed, “I hope you don’t mind, I picked a bed already.”

“No it’s fine. I think I want this one anyway.” He set his bag down and glanced at the cross on the wall. Jason took the towel and wiped the sweat from his face.

“Are you excited for school to start?” Jason asked.

“I mean…it is school so...I guess not.” a bare chuckle, “But it’s nice seeing everybody again.”

“Yeah, I agree.”  
“Did you see everyone? I didn’t see you with them this morning.”  
“Yeah, I just wanted to unpack. Get it out of the way.” replied Jason. They glanced at each other for a few seconds, before Peter zipped open his bag and began to unpack. He remained acutely aware of Jason’s presence while he reached for each cotton button-down. After a few seconds, he caught himself with a clenched jaw and so released it, but the burning from the pressure and now the purposefully slack jaw only amplified his discomfort. There was a deafening silence, only disrupted by the rustling of fabric and release of bedspring. Peter could feel a familiar stiffness overtake each joint. His neck and knees were bent so strangely. If only he could…no that’s worse now. Better stay still, but not too still. He envisioned himself from Jason’s point of view, as though in a movie. A medium shot over Jason’s shoulder with himself slightly off center.He wondered what the audience would take away from his performance.

Meanwhile, Jason could only see Peter’s vacant back. He sensed something unusual in his new roommate. Not quite sure what it was. Then, desperate to relieve himself of awkward staring, he laid down flat on his bed, a hand behind his head and one knee propped up. Peter busied himself with unpacking. After a minute, Jason turned his head from the ceiling to look at the preoccupied Peter. After a few more moments of mildly awkward silence, he sat up and elected to restart their conversation.

“Hey, who do you have? For teachers, I mean.”

Peter turned his face toward Jason while hunched over his bag. “Um...Carmen, Donegall, Raffey, Chantelle and…that’s it”  
“Cool...I’m a little annoyed. I have Savage.”  
“Ugh that sucks.” Now Peter had moved from his uncomfortable position into active movement, transporting folded clothes from his bed to the closet.

Pleasantries were managed in their dry, pointless conversation easily enough, but beyond that, neither could find it in them to keep up appearances. For Peter, this was hardly new. But for Jason, it was something strange. He’d expected the flow of conversation to take him, like water, but there was only silence. A deep hollow feeling spewed forth within him. To keep busy, Jason grabbed the summer reading book he had yet to finish off his dresser. But Jane Austen’s words were slimy and his mind wandered. He began to sweat; his trackpants and comforter roasting his thighs, as though it were a hot day at summer camp rather than a crisp, windy September afternoon. After several minutes, he looked up to see Peter sitting next to the drawers, folding clothes on the floor. Peter glanced up just as Jason quickly turned away. Minutes passed.

“Hey, I’m gonna go take a shower.” said Jason finally.

“Okay.” responded Peter. He smiled at him, and it confirmed to Jason that the awkwardness was not one of hostility but of unfamiliarity.

Jason grabbed a towel from the dresser, walked out into the hallway and then, finally, breathed.


	4. Chapter 4

“Hey you comin’?” called Jason from outside the dorm bathroom.  
Peter was buttoning up his shirt in the grimy bathroom mirror. “Yeah, one sec.”

He started out the door, but turned a second into mirror. He slipped a finger between his tie and shirt collar, tugging lightly.  
Jason only wore a white t-shirt and jeans, while Peter wore his school shirt and pants with a tie.

“What’s with the tie?” inquired Jason, as they started walking down the hall.

“I figured if I’m dressed up Father Sanchez wouldn’t think we’re going to something undignified.”

“But we are going to something undignified.”

“Well aren’t you clever.” said Peter, smiling wryly at him. But he quickly retracted from his bold posture, upon seeing Jason’s attentive eyes, and stared at the floor. Jason glanced at Peter’s flustered face with a slight smile. He felt charmed…or mild amusement. He quickly distracted himself.

“Do you know if Matt’s coming tonight?”

“Yeah, uh, he’s working in the Dean’s office. He got us the night watch schedule.”

“Nice.”

Their conversation ended naturally and abruptly. Both were disappointed.

Outside the dorms, the group waited for them, including, formerly absentee Matt.

“They’re here lets bounce.” said Lucas, Tanya on his arm. All were dressed down to a degree and covertly wearing starchy bathing suits underneath their clothes.

“Wait, where’s Nadia?” asked Jason, observing her absence.

“She said she had some work to do.” Ivy shrugged.

Jason gave her a quizzical look, “But school only just started!” Ivy shrugged once again, brushing the matter aside. She leaned heavily on Lucas. Peter figured she had been pre-gaming.

“Hey, are you okay?” Matt asked Ivy. Matt dressed like a token jock, but did so with intent. The bags under his eyes betrayed late nights; his talk displayed a stale yet manicured confidence. An elderly woman who, although her hands shook, still put on eyeliner in the morning.

“Yeah, of course I am. I’m just ready to go!” She abandoned Lucas and stumbled into Matt’s arms. “C’mon, big boy.” She shot him a goofy smile and slapped his chest, before leading the group toward the outside gate.


	5. Chapter 5

Chlorine seemed to overtake the kids as they swung open the heavy blue doors leading to the pool. The surface of the water was devoid of the slightest ripple and the footsteps of the gang echoed with epic sound. Peter inexplicably found beauty in the stillness of the pool. The reflection of the water on the walls, the perfect painted lines under the water, the glossy, undisturbed surface...

“Well what’re you losers waiting for?” Lucas asked, as he tore off his shirt. Ivy let out a high pitched woo. Matt, from behind her, flicked his eyes up at her, before convincing himself it was nothing. Lucas finished undoing his belt and dropped his pants to the floor revealing oversized boxers, which acted as a swimsuit. He promptly cannonballed into the pool. The splash coated them all. Tanya squealed.

Lucas surfaced, shook his head, and wiped his face with his hands. “C’mon nerds!” He backstroked away from them, gleefully. Tanya began to disrobe and so did Ivy. Then Matt, then Jason and finally Peter. One by one, they dived into the pool with varying degrees of theatricality.

Jason cautiously sat on the edge before lowering himself into the water. “God it’s freezing!” he said, his arms raised and shoulders tense to avoid the frigid surface.

“Don’t be a pussy, Jason!” taunted Ivy, she skimmed her hand just below the surface and flung a tidal wave in his direction. He opened his mouth and scrunched his eyes at the shock.

“Oh, you’re gonna get it.” He waded, cumbersome, toward Ivy, who beamed before quickly diving below his reach and playfully circling him under water.

Matt chose this moment to join in the fun. He reached under and grabbed at Ivy, who saw his fingers, pushed off the floor and again darted out of reach.

“Jesus, this is gonna be difficult.” remarked Matt to Jason, whom took a step back from the action. Matt smiled at the shadow of Ivy coming up to the surface. Her head tilted back to keep the hair out of her eyes as she resurfaced.

She gasped for air.“Thank you, Camp Green Lane!” she panted, “What are you fuckers gonna do about it?”  
Matt wagged his finger. “ _Tsk tsk_. But you forgot one thing, missy.”  
“Oh yeah? And what’s that, shitface?”  
“I took lessons every Thursday afternoon.” He jumped and seized Ivy by the shoulders.

She screamed, and splashed furiously; Matt seized her by the waist, and she squealed with exaggerated glee. Jason paddled loosely and lazily, leaning back so only his head was exposed as he watched them. Peter lingered near the pool’s edge, also watching the games Ivy and Matt played.

“Jasoooon. Can’t you play with us?” Ivy swam up perpendicularly to Jason, grabbed him by the elbow and pulled her chest onto his bicep and her head onto his shoulder. Jason laughed casually. Peter suddenly had to go to the bathroom. Matt, having been abandoned, looked on; he ran a hand through his damp hair.

“Oh, c’mon Ivy. I’m not falling for your act. I’m not so easy to win over.” Jason said with the tone of a kind parent. He looked into her sly eyes. Ivy was pushing him, so their bodies floated towards the pool’s edge.

“But I’m asking nicely.” said Ivy. Jason’s back hit the hard tile.

“Get a room!” shouted Tanya, sitting on the edge of the opposite side of the pool with Lucas at her feet.

“Shut up!” retorted Ivy.

“You’re drunk.” said Jason.

“I know that.”

“Hey Ivy, I got something for you….” cried Matt. And as Ivy turned from Jason, an epic wave overcame her. Matt grinned.

An onomatopoeic gasp. “You bitch!” Completely forgetting Jason, she propelled off the pool wall and onto Matt. She tackled him from underwater.

The door to the locker room slammed. Jason took account of everyone in the room and noticed one absence. He took note of Matt and Ivy’s wrestling match and Tanya and Lucas’ conversation then furtively took his leave.


	6. Chapter 6

“Peter?” Jason quietly called. The echo in the locker room made his normal volume sound inappropriate. “Peter?” He turned into the bathroom and startled his McGuffin.

“Jesus, you scared me.” said Peter. He was leaning against one of four chipped tile sinks.

“Sorry.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh nothing. I just…you left so suddenly I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“Yeah I’m fine. Just had to pee.” He knows you’re lying.

“Good” Jason leaned on the doorway. “Honestly, I think everyone is preoccupied in there…so to speak”

“What do you mean?”

“Well Tanya and Lucas are in their own little world. And you know Matt’s deal.”

“It is painfully obvious isn’t it?”

“Tanya was even like ‘Get a room!’” They laughed. A pause. Peter looked at his one hand resting on the smooth white sink. Jason also stared at the floor. He pondered why he felt compelled to lie about the subject of Tanya’s quip.

“Did you drink anything? If you don't mind me…” Peter stumbled out.

“No.” replied Jason “I haven't had anything to drink since Lucas’ party last year.” He paused.“You wanna know something?” He sighed, “I don’t even like it that much. It makes me feel too…loose. Like I lose control you know? Maybe for a special occasion, but not for something like this.”

“Yeah.”

“Have you? Drank anything tonight.”

“No. Actually…I haven’t really been drunk before.”

“Wait. Really? But I’ve seen you! Last year at graduation.”

“Nope. I was faking.”

“What? How have you managed that for so many years?”

“Sometimes,” Peter exhaled a tiny chuckle “I’ll pretend to drink out of the bottle but use my tongue to block it from going in” At this, Jason laughed.

“What?” Peter asked, only mildly defensive.

“Really? So every time there’s a party, you do that? Every time?”

“Yeah…So?” Peter couldn’t help but smile slightly.

“And no one else knows?”

“No.”

“You’re such a liar! What else have you lied to us about?” Jason beamed; he enjoyed teasing his shy friend.

“What? That’s unfair!” Peter let a smile fully creep onto his face.

“How can you do that and just never tell anyone?”

“I don’t know.”

“I just feel like that’s so much effort for nothing.”

“I mean you’re not wrong. I mean…you are wrong. It’s not for nothing”

“What’s it for?”

Peter swallowed. He felt compelled to tell him. Maybe it was the goofy smile or perhaps he felt Jason would be able to see through any lie he threw at him. He cautiously picked his words.

“I’m worried that once I start drinking, and I mean really drinking, I won’t be able to stop.” Peter looked straight into Jason’s steady gaze.

“That’s a valid reason.”

“That I’ll lose control of myself, you know?”

“Some say that alcohol makes you become yourself.”

“I’m a little skeptical.”

“Huh.” Jason leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed and his grin smug. “I’m like corrupting you now aren’t I? The little devil on your shoulder.”

“Good.” smiled Peter. He looked where he wanted to: straight into the devil’s blue eyes.

Suddenly, they heard the slapping of hurried, bare feet. Jason looked around the corner of the entryway to see panicked Lucas skip around a row of lockers. “Hey, we gotta bounce! We’ve been spotted.”

Jason and Peter glanced at each other, a moment of panicked understanding, before briskly following Lucas through the maze of lockers.


	7. Chapter 7

“Look what I brought!” Peter exclaimed, disarmingly giddy, so giddy in fact that Jason assumed he’d stolen the bowl of candy from Matt’s party. But in fact, Peter had brought a bottle of wine.

Jason had taken a break from the party down the hall a few minutes ago; he needed a moment to himself. He’d had a few beers, so, naturally, he was laying spread eagle on the floor of their room, facing the cross on the wall.

“What are you doing?” Peter asked. He stood with directly over Jason, his toes almost touching his head.

“Thinking.”

“Well,” Peter gently kicked Jason’s right arm to which the arm obliged and moved out of the way so he could plop down next to him. “I am going to join you.”

Jason smiled and turned his head to look up at him. “I never thought I’d see you hammered.” He was pleased that Peter was enjoying himself. For years, their interactions had been so shallow, so surface. Peter hid behind something - just barely kind, thoughtful and shy - but Jason could see there was an interesting person underneath. He was excited to meet him.

“Well I thought I should try. After what we talked about… but anyway…what are we thinking about?”

“I was thinking about some sad stuff.”

“Sad stuff? I am so ready.”

Jason laughed at the ironic excitement. “Are you sure you want sad?”

“Yes. Bring it on.” Peter said through gritted teeth as he tried to undo the cork on the wine bottle.

“Alright” Jason looked up at the ceiling. “I guess I’m just feeling sad recently.”

Peter stopped his fiddling with the bottle “What are you sad about?”

I’m asking myself the same question, Jason thought. An anticipation had been following him since…well, a long time. It’s as though every time he came back to the room in the evening the air itself was pushing him, egging him off some precipice. That is just ridiculous.

“I-I’m not sure.”

“Okay.” Peter said eagerly “Let’s do some detective work then.”

Jason laughed. “Okay.”

Peter laid down next to him. “Grades. Definitely not it.”

“How do you know that?”

“I know you’re insanely smart. Goddamn mister perfect with your straight As…” Peter turned his head to the left to look at his friend.

“Oh c’mon…” Jason smiled, now exposed. He turned to the right. And suddenly their noses were inches apart. Peter could’ve sworn Jason paused and relaxed his smile, but within a millisecond, the sparkling blue eyes had jerked back to the ceiling.

“That’s not it.”

“Ok. Nadia?”

“I mean I haven’t seen her in a while, but we haven’t been fighting or anything.”

“Your parents? Are they okay?”

“Yeah, I guess.” But he didn’t want to say anymore about it, and Peter did not push him.

The boys stared at the ceiling for a while, lost in thought. Jason liked having a friend who wanted to talk about serious things, even in a joking manner, and he really enjoyed just lying there on the floor, the hard carpet straightening his spine, a comfortable silence between them.

` “Well then I’m at a loss, Jase.” said Peter finally.

“Jase?” Jason asked as he turned his head to the right. “You’ve never called me that before!”

Peter looked back at him smiling, proud that he could induce a reaction in him. But, suddenly his resolve quivered. What had been haunting him for years suddenly showed up, and an inebriated Peter struggled against the voice in his head. It whispered memories of dark nights, secret embers of passion, and the suffocating question which constantly surrounded him.

“I guess we know that I’m a bold drunk.” He choked out, his life on the line, hovering on the precipice of some great _thing_.

“Yeah…” A moment. Jason’s smile faded, a corresponding string broke inside him, and he fell over the edge.

And Peter felt their lips together.

Peter couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, for the unknown was terrifying. But after the second of fear had worn off, he knew only that he wanted every square inch of this. He loved it so very much. The shadowy sensation of Jason’s body near his, his soft lips; suddenly all their interactions from the past month snapped into focus and the worries and fears he carried around like chains were disintegrated. He started thinking ahead, but stopped. For the first time, he stopped his own wandering mind.

Jason did not think, he only moved, for that was all he would process. He kept his eyes shut tight and only inhaled in tight gasps. Keeping their faces together, he picked up his body and moved it up and over Peter, loving the way his hips felt between his legs. Time did not exist anymore. After some indiscriminate amount of it, he felt Peter push him over onto the floor so now their arrangement was reversed. Peter left his lips and started to kiss along his neck “Jase…”

The spell was broken.

Jason scrambled out from underneath him, pushing off the floor and knocking his shoulder into Peter’s jaw. He stood over him, out of breath, his eyes wide with panic. Peter was still on his hands and knees, the gap where Jason had been painfully cold and vacant, his jaw throbbing slightly. They stared at each other, Peter’s mouth partially open, his eyes searching for something, anything, in his stare. But instead Jason staggered a step backwards, turned, and ran out the door.

Peter crumpled to the floor, buried his face in the carpet, and began to cry.


End file.
